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It takes courage to dream. Perhaps a dream, wish, hope, prayer, desire, is calling you right now, just underneath your awareness. Waiting for you to notice.

It takes deep listening to allow it to come fully forward, and before you hear it with clarity, a fearful fog can cloud your vision. Whether it is the need to release layers of unconscious conditioning, past disappointments or the worry of one's expectations not being met, it is normal to seek guidance on how best to navigate our path. Qoya is always an invitation and encouragement to go within, feel the physical sensation of truth in your body, and explore how to live in integrity with yourself, others, nature, and spirit.

As we enter into Virgo season astrologically, August 23rd to September 21st, I always think of the archetype of the Virgin. Have you ever heard the more accurate translation of "virgin" as meaning whole within oneself? It was used to describe a free woman: independent, autonomous, untied.

I find that as I listen to others' stories, a theme of synchronicity, magic, and meaning is more easily seen in hindsight. When the seemingly disparate puzzle pieces click into place, we can accept and forgive the delays in having our expectations met. For a moment, many of us can see the soulful initiation we were being offered to live into when it may have seemed that we were moving further away from what we want.

When I read Virginia’s astrological insight for this upcoming new moon in Leo, I couldn’t help but think of my gratitude for the last week in the redwoods where we gathered for the Qoya retreat focused on Embodying your Sacred Work. Inspired by the quote by Khalil Gibran, “Work is love made visible," we took the idea of sacred work as making love visible and danced with it throughout the week.

Our morning Qoya class themes were Sacred Connection, Your Work Has Worth, Gratitude for Love, and Go Be Who You Are. Our afternoons were filled with rituals that took us outside in humble reverence to the redwood trees. We ended the week in an amphitheater surrounded by these ancient wisdom keepers, learning from their example, as you can’t get much more visible than a redwood tree! As each person shared their relationship to their sacred work at the end of the week, my heart was on fire, and it felt like theirs were, too.

There’s a saying, "Whatever we don’t heal in the present, we can expect to meet again in the future."

If you're human, my guess is that there are times in your life when you've buried something in your heart. Sometimes for safekeeping, other times for repression. What would it feel like to release the need to complicate the healing opportunity when the thing you've buried reveals itself again?

Have you heard the saying, "They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds?"

This quote inspires me with the feeling of our individual and collective resilience. It reminds me that even in the midst of the challenges and trials of our lives, inevitably, we will rise again. We activate an innate intelligence and cosmic companionship when we align with the true original intent, the seed, of our being.

I celebrated my 39th birthday this week and was grateful to receive my biggest birthday wish: a labyrinth to walk on the land where I live. We went into a large grassy field with the lawnmower and spiraled out from the center, with the high grasses as partitions. Some friends came to gather for a picnic by the pond, and then we activated the labyrinth together with sacred song. The labyrinth spiral has been an essential healing tool for me and many others. With this full moon, I invite you to embrace the adventure of going within and emerging changed. To enter the labyrinth of life, literally or figuratively, can be chosen or forced, but is always a catalyst for transformation.

Sometimes being human can be a very humble path. Follow me on this one for a second. Imagine something comes up and you have an emotional charge where you feel angry, upset or disappointed. Do you and I have the life experience to step out of the present for a moment to see it with a wider view? Beyond the immediacy of this one moment, are we willing to look at the source of the wound inside ourselves that is being reactivated? Can we stretch our perception beyond what is happening just to us and consider how this also affects others by tracking how this energy shows up in the collective experience? And on our more courageous days, are we open to imagining a way that this challenge could actually be a blessing?

Qoya is based on the idea that through movement, we remember. We remember our essence is inherently wise, wild and free. Have you had a moment of remembering recently? Can you track how it emerged? Did it arise from the anxious multi-tasking of daily life? Was it in a quiet moment alone at the end of the day? Does it come more easily through movement? The Qoya community organizes around this idea that through movement, we remember as inspiration to explore the sanctuary of inner wisdom, source of creativity, and ever-expanding capacity for pleasure that each of our bodies holds.

How often do you hear something encouraging you to trust yourself? How many Instagram posts have you seen that inspire you to follow your heart? How many experiences widen your capacity to dream a bigger dream for yourself and the world? How many healing books, classes, or courses have you engaged with to let go of the negative mind loops that may subconsciously hold you back from moving closer to what you feel is possible? And how many of these Qoya newsletters have you read, inviting you to dive deeper into how you feel? In the midst of all these invitations, how often do you truly make time for yourself to embody and ritualize the unique energy of the moment you're living in?

Healing, hope, and empowerment happen when we remember we are whole and holy. Each life experience, each moment, is another puzzle piece offering us an opportunity to reclaim a place where we have forgotten our wholeness. Life is an infinite opportunity to remember. Qoya is based on the idea that, through movement and through feeling, we remember. Whether you take a Qoya class in person, through a video online, at a retreat, or simply dancing to a song in your living room, the invitation is to softly surrender into noticing what is right in front of you by feeling how you actually feel. Noticing how you feel is important, because this is the bridge into the present moment of embodied authenticity. Embodiment empowers you to navigate the path of evolutionary change with resonance, integrity, and faith in the process.

In the spirit of the new moon in Aries, a fire sign, I invite you to contemplate the fiery angel you are and the love that burns bright in your heart.

The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And, on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.

—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

There is a courageous transition we make again and again each day as we rise from horizontal to vertical. How do we move from the cocooning rest of the sacred night to the expressive adventure of the day? Oftentimes, this awakening is inspired by the light of the sun coming in your window. In the interconnected reality of life, no one thing can do something for another, but it can mirror and inspire something inside to wake up. For example, yes, the sun shines in your window, but what is the spark in your psyche that motivates you to rise up, again and again?

I heard my five week old son laugh for the first time this week. It was one of the sweetest moments in my life.

I thought of you and of all of us, savoring all that is new and emerging with inspiration and beauty at this time.

I also heard him cry/wail/scream with a fervor where I felt my heart break in helplessness.

I thought of you and of all of us, honoring all that is painful, evoking grief and in need of healing.

Then I thought of the equinox, of the equal day and night, and how our lives are initiated by an infinite cycle of blessings and challenges. While we may be aware of the cyclical nature of our lives, have we lost sight of the epic possibilities of what we are being initiated for? What is the most hope that you can hold for humanity? During the turning of the ages, what tools have we found to guide our way to truth and beauty?

There is a teaching about life being like waves in the ocean. When things are good and the vibes are high, enjoy and savor because it will change. Similarly, when things are challenging, embrace whatever the lessons are and know that this too will pass. The idea is to remember that the only constant in the outer world is change, and everything that comes into the world will also leave.

It takes immense courage to dream. You must be willing to expand your faith to hold a vision of possibility becoming a probability. At the same time, you must hold space in your psyche that if this dream does not manifest in physical form, you will be ok. Fear of disappointment is often what holds us back from moving in the direction of our dreams.

In less than a month, there will be the 10-year anniversary of Qoya classes in the world. I'm in awe at the depth of connection that has been catalyzed through people choosing to remember their essence through movement, embody their wise, wild and free nature, honor life with reverence in ritual, build and support communities of women where they live, encourage people to listen to the truth they feel in their bones, take pilgrimages to inspire the spirit, and awaken to the call to create.

Individually and collectively, we are all dancing with an ever winding and widening path of evolutionary change. So much of this transformation leads from our individual, egoic identities into more a unified consciousness, honoring the interconnected relationship between ourselves and all of life.

Here is one story of remembering this interconnection that I've been experiencing over the last few years that feels in line with these times now. My prayer in sharing stories is always to empower and encourage all of us who feel the call to honor our truth and follow the path that resonates with our embodied souls through the blessings and challenges of time.

Wishing you a heartfelt happy new year. For those who wish to jump into the ocean of collective consciousness during this new year, new moon, and partial solar eclipse, there are waves of enthusiasm, awakening, and positive energy for you to ride into the shore of 2019. This intuitive wave of energy is asking, "Are you wiling to commit to your intention?"

Can you relate to the tendency of modern living where the body does one thing, the mind is somewhere else, emotions are fluctuating, and the spirit is in its sacred space somewhere completely different? Part of practical living with awareness is about creating congruence for your body, mind, heart, and spirit to be clarity and integrity with one another. What would your life look like if you believed this was possible for you? What would it feel like in your body to devote yourself in embodied prayer and action to this vision?

In personal growth communities, we often practice peace and surrender. Yes. Great tools for many times and situations. However, if there is an incredibly large gap between the vision in your heart and the reality of your external world, I invite you to consider this could be a time calling for your committed action. I have this conversation with many women who say that they want something, but they're "not attached and trust the universe." If that's true, great. However, if as you say it, your heart aches because it's not true, I wonder what it would be like to give yourself permission to really align with the soul call you feel. The thing that brings vitality to your being. The thing that if there was a successful completion of, you would feel like it was less about accomplishing a goal and more about facilitating a soul retrieval for yourself. The place where you recognize that because the desire is so big, so are the stakes and the resistance.

As I write this, I'm having a flashback of a lighter example when a woman told me her dream was to be able to do splits. I asked her, "Do you practice?" She looked at me confused. I asked another way, "Do you stretch?" She seemed still bewildered as if there was a correlation between her desire coming to fruition and her own active participation.

What happens when you measure the distance between your intention and your commitment?

Our Qoya resident astrologer Virginia Rosenberg shares that as we align with our intention in our earthy lives, we will be aligning with by the cosmic energies above. She writes:

The New Moon on January 5, 2019 (8:28pm EST) is a partial Solar Eclipse in Capricorn. Eclipses mark major turning points, and their influence lasts for 18 months following their initial occurrence. The new year begins on a serious note. If ever there was a year to set intentions, this is it! There are moments in life when we feel ready to move on - to leave the past behind and set ourselves to the task of building more of what we want. This Moon is one of those defining moments. It is a time when we are pressed to dedicate ourselves more fully to be the owners and authors of our lives. The world is influenced by those who show up. This Moon asks us to show up, to make commitments, and to set up structures that will support us in seeing them through. There are so many things that can distract us from the essence of why we are here. Other people and society try to define ambitions for us. If there was no one you needed to impress - no external expectations to live “up to” - what would you spend your time doing? What would you work towards? What is your true calling? Looking back at the year past, is there anything you wish you did less of? Time is our most valuable resource, and this Capricorn moon requests that we use our time wisely. Work smarter, not harder. Uncomplicate your goals and make them attainable. Remove waste and excess so you can focus on what’s most important to you. Looking at the year past, is there anything you wish you did more of? When you take away external validation, what does success mean to you? We can all be successful. The more we embrace our own mountain - the one we were born to climb - the more we inhabit our integrity and pave the way for others to live their purpose, too. Something is calling you toward it. Listen. Then place your feet on the Earth and go after it.

Qoya is based on the idea that through movement, we remember. We remember our essence is wise, wild and free. Remembering the essence of who you are can be very helpful in conjuring the courage to commit to your truest calling. When we are talking about intention, it is often to bring something from an idea into a physical reality. Therefore, I find embodiment is one of the most powerful tools in calling energetics into form.

The first movement in a Qoya class is intention setting. This is where everyone is invited to come into the present moment by connecting with their breath. It can be very difficult and uncomfortable at times to transition the mind from judging, analyzing, and planning into the intelligence of embodied lived experience. Once connected to the present moment, we invite an intention to come in and then repeat it like a mantra, inhaling while saying silently, "Today I am dancing for..." I encourage people to do this 3-5 times to become clear and steady. The challenge is the wandering mind, where one may set an intention but instead of staying with it, starts the cycle of distraction or daydreaming. We anchor our intention in our bodies by planting the intention like a seed in our hearts and pausing for a moment to feel the tender vulnerable place of acknowledging our desire. Next, we plant our intention into the unique time and physical space where we are. Lastly, we plant our intention like a seed in the earth. Just like one would plant a seed in soil and begin a collaborative growth experiment and just like so many seeds that are planted in the earth grow and nourish us in this world, we offer a prayer that this seed also be supported on its path of manifestation.

The embodied invitation for this new moon is to:

1) Commit to your intention by first slowing down enough to be present to it.

2) Listen for what that call is and then set your intention!

Here are two separate videos for you to explore tuning in and setting your intention. Oftentimes in Qoya classes, we encourage the intention to arise organically in the moment. In the spirit of commitment, my suggestion is at the beginning of your day or daily practice, you set the same intention as a grounded gesture of devotion to your soul's path.

Self reflection time: How committed are you to your intention?

For those who are truly seeking movement in their life, I encourage you to explore adding more movement in your life. The circulation of blood, oxygen, and energy will continuously cleanse what is ready to be released, ground you into the gifts of the moment, and remind you of the importance of taking time to dream.

Pick a reasonable goal - something you can succeed at - and whether it is Qoya, yoga, walking or any other movement that feels good in your body, I wish for you to honor the part of you that is ready to commit on a consistent basis to your intention and reclaim the power you hold to co-create in the world. May this new year, new moon, and partial solar eclipse support you on your path!

With a committed love,

Rochelle

To continue diving into the energy of this Capricorn moon, you may also be inspired to check out the Embodied Astrology: Capricorn course which includes an introductory video to give you an overview of Capricorn's aspects, a Qoya Movement Ritual so you can embody your own personal relationship to Capricorn, an integration video with an exercise to apply in your life, worksheets with journal prompts, and a blessing for deep reflection.

COMPLETE YOUR QOYA TEACHER TRAINING IN 2019

We've added another Qoya Teacher Training Intensive with Rochelle Schieck November 18 - 24 2019 at one of our favorite spots, the Menla Mountain Retreat Center in upstate New York. There are many Initiation training options to prepare, including an online option, so if becoming a Certified Qoya Teacher is one of your 2019 desires, there's never been a better time to commit.

One of the most interesting aspects of my work is that I have the honor to ask and answer questions with others about what truly nourishes our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. In Qoya, we explore this most often through movement, then also ritual, community, and pilgrimages.

Some of the most common themes that emerge are: what is the balance between being able to function in this world but not be bound by it? How can we trust and follow what feels resonant while maintaining the relationships that are necessary in our families, businesses, and society? How do we manage our schedules being pulled in so many different directions while still staying true to where our hearts are calling us forward?

The answers are different for each person and different during different cycles of life. The navigational tool is becoming well-versed in how to access your inner wisdom, cultivating courage and confidence to express yourself authentically, and then expanding your capacity to prioritize nourishment. My hope is that every Qoya class strengthens each person's ability to do this.

For many of us, there’s often a soul ache when we measure the distance between what we felt called to do and what we accomplished. While there's always an invitation to celebrate, there is also an invitation for honest self-reflection.

As we approach the space between the solstice, the ending of the past year and the beginning of a new year, what emerges as you reflect on your journey?

How did you prioritize what is most important to you this last year?

How did you not prioritize what is most important to you this last year?

How will you prioritize what is most important to you this next year?

How are you concerned you will not prioritize what is most important to you this next year?

Are you wiling to take time to reflect and write down to the answers to these questions?

Our Qoya resident astrologer Virginia Rosenberg shares shares how we we can be supported in our inquiry at this time. She writes:

The Full Moon in Cancer on December 22, 2018 (12:48pm EST) holds the keys to deeper self-integration. There is a new task approaching. In order to access these assignments, we must align and center ourselves within our own integrity. What purpose have we come here to fulfill? During this past moon cycle, we have been steeping in dreams and visions. Our visionary talents have been stoking questions of what we want to do and who we want to be in our next chapter. As we sift our dreamings, we encounter the vulnerable elements of our own will. In order to accomplish what we came here to attend, we must integrate the ways we withhold or misdirect our energies. We must heal our impotence. We must own our desires. We must stand with compassionate strength for what we want, choosing to move forward with fierce grace. We must embrace that anger and fortitude can energize the accomplishment of necessary tasks. This Moon offers clairvoyance, open sight, opportunities, and fortunate news. Commit to protecting and nurturing that which is held most dear. Give yourself to fostering what feels most important. Embrace yourself as a parent to what you seek to cultivate in the world. Dedicate a space in your heart and in your life to tend that, without distraction.

How do you set yourself up in your life to embody the clarity and commitment you pray for? For me and for many others, our feeling of connection to our deepest truths and ability to integrate them into our lives has a direct correlation to our feeling of connection with our bodies and the earth. One of the easiest ways to wake up to our deeper callings is by coming into our bodies and attuning to the powerful messages of the earth that are always around us when we remember to look.

In this slower time of the winter solstice and the pause that can often happen at the end of the year, how will you listen more deeply?

If you were able to prioritize what is most important to you, in what ways can you imagine your new year would be truly NEW?

I offer you something to contemplate if it resonates for you. It's the phrase: Nourishment First.

There will always be distractions from your vision. Some pleasurable. Some obligatory. In the face of both, how do you truly prioritize what is most important? Perhaps you can find a way to do that first? Trust that all the other aspects of your life will find a way to get done, since you probably already have great capacity to manage them. However, where are the places calling for your attention, asking for growth? Where are your instincts less activated to aligning with what serves you, so you can be of most service to the world? How can you commit to the things that are the most nourishing first?

If you are reading this, there's a chance that you feel the soul call towards prioritizing movement, and that that is part of your path. I invite you to dance with me today to this video called: Nourishment First: Prioritize What's Important. It's a simple video to set an intention, circle through each part of your body, embody your intention with some gentle yoga sequencing, and then shake out anything that keeps you from staying connected!

I also offer the experiment to track how other aspects of your life arrange themselves when you are nourished, in whatever way nourishment appears for you now. For some, it is rest. For others, it is creative projects. Or maybe your business projects. Whatever nourishment is for you, I wish for you a deep honoring of all that you have created and received in 2018 and a prayer that in 2019, there's an expansion of perspective where you feel more reflective harmony between your inner desires and the dance with your outer world.

Thank you for being part of our global Qoya family in 2018. Every single moment when one of us remembers our true essence and can feel the physical sensation of our spirits animating our human bodies is a gift. Whenever we dance in that direction and in those sacred moments when we arrive, may we feel the pulse of people courageously dancing before us, alongside us, and the pulse of those who will come after.

To another year of remembering,

Rochelle

P.S. For those of you who live in or have access to Los Angeles, I invite you to join me for a class in Venice, California on Saturday, January 5th from 3:30pm - 5:00pm with the theme Remembering the Future.

To continue diving into the energy of this Cancer moon, you may also be inspired to check out the Embodied Astrology: Cancercourse which includes an introductory video to give you an overview of Cancer's aspects, a Qoya Movement Ritual so you can embody your own personal relationship to Cancer, an integration video with an exercise to apply in your life, worksheets with journal prompts, and a blessing for deep reflection.

For the first time ever, Qoya founder Rochelle Schieck is offering her level 3 Intensive teacher training online with the intention to make Qoya teacher training accessible to women who are unable to travel in order to complete their Qoya teacher training.

"If we want to fully experience love and belonging, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging."

—Brene Brown

The focus in Qoya is to encourage people to trust the physical sensation of truth in their bodies, because it's incredibly common for people to go against their truth and mentally rationalize why they can't authentically act in a way that resonates with their true mind, heart, body, and soul. Most of us grapple with cultural conditioning that there's not space for us to be loved and belong when we're true to ourselves.